Recommended audience includes parents and extended families of children with ASD, teachers, paraprofessional and BHRS support staff, guidance counselors, social workers, clinicians, advocates, psychologists, behavior specialists, and all those desiring knowledge about behaviors and autism spectrum disorders.

Biography:
Kristi Wees received her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Penn State University and was one of the inaugural graduates of the Schreyer’s Honors College at Penn State. She went on to complete her Master’s degree studies at UCLA in Chemistry. She has extensive industrial experience as well as hands on medical and clinical experience as she navigated her own daughter’s medical journey back to restored health. She is a passionate advocate for all children no matter what the diagnosis, because she believes that every family deserves the best quality of life together with their child.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this program participants will be able to:

Describe how gastrointestinal conditions can impact behavior in children with autism and what those behaviors may look like that could signal a potential underlying gastrointestinal red flag.

Identify neurological co-occurring medical concerns in the autistic population and how to advocate for testing and investigation into these concerns.

Describe in lay man's terms the potential immune system concerns for an individual with autism and how they can be identified.

Define what a mitochondrial disease/dysfunction is and how it relates to an individual with autism and how it can be linked to possible behaviors exhibited by an individual with autism.

ABOARD's Autism Connection of PA 35 Wilson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15223 (412) 781-4116 The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania certifies that the Advisory Board On Autism and Related Disorders is registered as a charitable organization with the Department of State's Bureau of Charitable Organizations under the Solicitation of Funds for Charitable Purposes Acts, 10 P.S. Section 161.2 et seq., and is authorized to solicit charitable contributions under the conditions and limitations set forth under the Act. The certification does not imply endorsement by the Commonwealth.